Two legislative concepts that will be proposed as bills during the February legislative session intend to boost transit district funding. The first, LC 163, is sponsored by Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer. The other, LC 6, is sponsored by Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem.

Courtney's bill would allow transit districts funded by employer payroll taxes to add an employee tax. TriMet, the transit authority in Portland, is partially funded by an employer tax.

Post's bill would establish a way for transit authorities, like Salem-Keizer Area Public Transit, also known as Cherriots, to request funding grants. To qualify for a grant, a transit authority would have to serve an area with a population less than 200,000, or refrain from levying employer taxes. It also would need to specify how the grant would be used and what benefits it would create to receive and keep grant money.

Post said his bill was drafted in conjunction with the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and transit districts like Cherriots and the Rogue Valley Transportation District. The idea for the bill arose after a ballot measure to increase Cherriots service by instituting a payroll tax failed in November. Post said he voted against the ballot measure, but he still wanted to find a way to increase access to transit services for Salem-Keizer residents.

Post said Rep. Peter Buckley (D-Ashland) will be a co-chief sponsor of the bill. Like the Salem-Keizer metro area, Medford and nearby Ashland have experienced problems finding money to increase transit services. Post said the Coos Bay-North Bend area has also struggled and would benefit from his bill.

The bill will be considered during the 2016 legislative session, which begins Feb. 1.